Shah sets 2029 deadline for UCC in NDA states, allies urge caution

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set a 2029 deadline for implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in all 21 states governed by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a move that has immediately drawn cautious responses from key coalition partners. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai on Sunday, September 13, Shah expressed confidence the rollout would be completed before the next Lok Sabha elections. The UCC aims to replace religion-based personal laws with a common legal framework for all citizens in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption. Shah linked the initiative to the government's record of reforms, including the abolition of triple talaq. "We have introduced the Uniform Civil Code in several states and I am confident that in the 21 BJP-NDA ruled states, we will introduce the UCC before 2029," he said. The announcement has sparked immediate political debate and exposed potential fissures within the ruling coalition. Opposition leaders, including AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, have accused the BJP of targeting religious minorities.